Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Elder of ZiyonJEDDAH, Dec 28 (KUNA) -- Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, reaffirmed the EU respect for the sacred sites in the occupied holy city of Jerusalem.The actual text of the letter was not released by the OIC.
In reply message to Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Iyad Madani, she said the EU attaches great importance to, and maintains full respect for, the status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, according to a press release by the OIC on Monday.
The EU believes that any attempt to change the status quo of the religious sanctities will have serious and profound impacts on stability in the Middle East, the statement said, citing readout of the message.
The EU believes that firm commitment by all parties to the provisions of the international humanitarian law and the relevant international laws, including the accountability for any violations, forms a cornerstone for stability and peace in the region, Mogherini said.
She renewed the EU support to the efforts aiming to reach a fair and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the two-state vision for establishing an independent, sovereign, democratic and viable state of Palestine with territorial continuity.
Mogherini's message was in response to a recent message from Madani calling for international stance against the repeated Israeli violations of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Muslims' third holiest site.
The OIC chief sent similar messages to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the foreign ministers of the permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Here's what respect for a sacred site looks like, according to the OIC:
And here is what they say desecration looks like:
The first set of photos has never elicited any condemnation from the Western world. The second set is considered a problem that must be solved.
